Director of Quality Assurance

At Co. Mind, we are developing a non-invasive neuromonitoring technology that will result in a new era of clinical brain monitoring. In joining us, you will be helping to create cutting-edge technologies that will improve how we diagnose and treat brain disorders, ultimately improving and saving the lives of patients across the world.

THE ROLE: As Director of Quality Assurance, you will lead our Quality function across three core areas: the quality management system, design quality assurance including software quality assurance, and supplier quality assurance including QC activities. As we approach on-market release, you will also prepare the QMS for customer facing activities including post-market surveillance and complaint handling.

This is a player-coach role: hands-on leadership rather than pure people-management. You will set direction and develop the team, but you will also write procedures, make decisions, and stay close to the product and organisation needs. You will work as a direct partner to our engineering teams and alongside our dedicated Regulatory Affairs leadership.

Regulatory is not part of this role, but a function you will collaborate closely with. At Co. Mind, all team members work at least 4 days per week from our new Kings Cross offices, plus a flexible work-from-home day.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Team Leadership: Lead and develop our existing Quality team, instilling and maintaining a high performance culture.
• Ensure the Co. Mind QMS complies with the FDA QMSR (21 CFR Part 820, harmonised with ISO 13485) and 21 CFR Part 11 for electronic records and signatures, while remaining customer focused and aligned with business needs.
• Audit Leadership: Lead our annual ISO 13485 certification audit, FDA inspection readiness and own the internal, supplier, and customer audit programmes.
• Design Quality Assurance: Oversee design controls and design transfer to manufacturing including the DHFs and DHRs, ISO 14971 risk management, IEC 62366 useability, UDI requirement, and quality assurance across an integrated product spanning electronics, optics, and software.
• Provide oversight and guidance on software development processes including IEC 62304 software development processes, Software as Medical Device (SaMD) classification, and FDA's SaMD/AI-ML guidance.
• Cybersecurity: Provide oversight and guidance on cybersecurity aspects impacting product and business processes, including FDA's premarket cybersecurity guidance (Section 524B)
• Supplier & Manufacturing Quality: Lead supplier qualification, supplier audits, and manufacturing quality as we build toward commercial production. Work with suppliers to ensure effective Quality Assurance and Quality Control processes are implemented. Establish processes for maintaining Device Master Records, and transfer of batch records to Co. Mind.
• Post-Market Quality: Create the post-market side of the QMS from the ground up as we launch, including complaint handling, product analytics, and on-market quality processes
• Work with the RA function to compile Periodic Safety Update Reports (PSUR), vigilance reporting / MDR reporting, or field corrective actions/recalls in line with EU MDR/FDA obligations.
• Provide oversight and guidance on clinical evaluation / clinical data quality. SKILLS & EXPERIENCE:
• Extensive leadership experience in Quality Assurance within an ISO 13485 environment including product design, manufacturing and commercial customer-facing operations
• A strong track record of building and managing high-performing Quality teams.
• Expert command of the core Quality toolkit: QMS, ISO 13485, design controls, ISO 14971 risk management, CAPA, validation, and supplier quality.
• Experience hosting and leading audits, including annual certification audits. Preferred audit certifications (ASQ CQE/CQA/CMQ-OE, RAC, Lead Auditor certification)
• Background in medical devices, ideally complex or integrated products. Strong candidates from diagnostics, IVD or pharma will also be considered.
• Experience in software-intensive / connected-devices
• Working knowledge of FDA / EU MDR and UK CA regulatory frameworks
• SaMD/software quality experience, human factors, or cybersecurity awareness
• A hands-on operator. You are comfortable writing SOPs and making decisions yourself, not just directing others.
• A record of staying and building - you are motivated by the journey and the chance to shape a function BENEFITS:
• Company equity plan so all employees share in the success of the company
• Salary-sacrifice pension scheme
• Private medical, dental and vision insurance (medical history disregarded)
• Group life assurance at 4x annual income
• Comprehensive mental health support, including unlimited access to 1:1 sessions with trained professionals
• Unlimited holiday allowance (+ bank holidays) and one week of remote working per quarter
• Lunch voucher (£10) every day for Just. Eat and free dinner on those days where you need to work later
• Twice weekly deliveries of fresh fruit and an extensive selection of snacks and drinks
• Yu. Life subscription, allowing you to turn your daily steps and meditation into discounts at a range of stores